Editing Wolf (SSBU)

'''Wolf''' ({{ja|ウルフ|Urufu}}, ''Wolf'') is a playable fighter in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.  He was officially revealed on June 12th, 2018 alongside the rest of the returning roster during the [[E3 2018]] Nintendo Direct. Wolf is classified as [[Fighter number|Fighter #44]], the last fighter number of the ''Brawl'' veterans.

Jay Ward reprises his role from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' with new voice clips, sounding more akin to his appearance in ''Starlink: Battle for Atlas''. In the Japanese version, Wolf is now voiced by Kōsuke Takaguchi, reprising his role from ''Star Fox 64 3D'' and ''Star Fox Zero'' and who also voiced {{SSBU|Falco}}, replacing Mahito Ōba from ''Brawl''.

With the exception of the third method, Wolf must then be defeated on [[Lylat Cruise]].

Wolf's attributes and moveset give him a versatile gameplan, somewhere in the middle ground between {{SSBU|Fox}}'s focus on pressure and {{SSBU|Falco}}'s focus on [[punish]]es. This is reflected in his attributes, which include a slow [[dash]]ing speed (though his [[initial dash]] is quite fast), an above average [[walk]]ing speed, the 11th fastest [[falling speed]], above average [[air acceleration]], and high [[gravity]], most of which are not uncharacteristic of the ''Star Fox'' characters. Unlike the other [[space animals]], however, Wolf has the 6th fastest [[air speed]] in the game. This grants him mobility that is fairly average overall, but relatively balanced compared to the other spacies. Additionally, Wolf is also significantly [[Weight|heavier]] than them, as he is a light-middleweight (tied with the {{SSBU|Ice Climbers}}, {{SSBU|Lucario}}, {{SSBU|Villager}}, {{SSBU|Mythra}}, and {{SSBU|Steve}}). Though his special moveset and vertical mobility are derived from his brethren, the similarities end there, with Wolf's being the most unique of the trio.

Wolf's {{b|Blaster|Wolf}} is the centerpiece of his [[neutral game]]. With the lasers causing higher [[knockback]] (and therefore [[hitstun]]) than the average projectile, and having a long duration with [[transcendent priority]], they grant him the ability to disrupt opponents' approaches, even when their grounded mobility is superior to his own, and its unique close-range hitbox on the bayonet give it some utility in close combat, dealing substantial damage if it connects. Lasers can often force opponents to jump over them, leaving them vulnerable to Wolf's fast aerial attacks; these are comprised of a fast [[neutral aerial]] that has a lingering hitbox with a powerful clean hit, a disjointed [[forward aerial]] that can [[combo]] into itself and his other aerials, a [[back aerial]] with moderate startup offset by its high power, an [[up aerial]] with fast startup and a wide arc well-suited to [[juggling]], and a [[down aerial]] that consistently [[meteor smash]]es opponents. Wolf also possesses large hitboxes on several of his attacks with many of them being disjointed, greatly aiding his devastating punish game as he can easily combo and deal massive damage from very few openings. While he can apply pressure from a distance, Wolf's close range options are not lacking either. [[Forward tilt]] and [[down tilt]] are decent poking tools, the latter which can [[trip]] at low percents. [[Forward smash]] has slow startup, but is very powerful and has deceptively low ending [[lag]], while [[up smash]] deals high damage, covers a wide area around him, and has decent knockback. His neutral and forward aerials are quite fast and difficult to punish even if shielded, while his standing [[grab]] is tied for the fastest in the game. Further augmenting his strong neutral game are his [[dash attack]] and {{b|Reflector|Wolf}}, the former which is useful for punishing aerial approaches and KOing at very high percents, and the latter which allows him to deal with opposing [[camping]] while also having a close range hit that can be followed up with aerials.

Once Wolf has won the neutral exchange, he has several options to rack up damage. Forward aerial can combo into itself and other aerials, and into a grab at very low percents, from which [[up throw]] can lead into another forward or up aerial until mid-high percents, and [[down throw]] can lead into a dash attack at low percents. Should an opponent [[air dodge]] in an attempt to escape pressure, Wolf's aerial mobility allows him to chase them down and punish them, usually with an [[up tilt]] or up aerial to continue juggling them, or with a back aerial to send them offstage. Once the opponent has sustained a lot of damage, Wolf possesses several KO options. The most reliable one is his back aerial, as its quick [[autocancel]] and decent range allow it to be spaced safely, and it can KO relatively early if sweetspotted (at around 110% from center stage), while still possessing respectable power with its sourspots. His side special, [[Wolf Flash]], can either meteor smash or [[semi-spike]] opponents at the end of the dash depending on which hitbox connects, both of which are noticeably powerful, while his up special, [[Fire Wolf]], deals deceptively high knockback with its last hit as well. Other notable finishers are his forward smash and [[down smash]], the former due to its low ending lag making it safe on [[shield]] and potentially even on whiff, and the latter due to its powerful sweetspot, which can KO at percents as low as 50% at the edge and is an effective [[2 frame punish]]. At higher percents, several of his other moves become threatening, with his forward tilt, up tilt, dash attack, and neutral aerial or [[back throw]] near the edge all gaining KO potential.

However, Wolf does possess noticeable weaknesses. Though he is not short of finishers, he frequently has difficulty landing his most powerful ones due to their slow startup (with back aerial and all his smash attacks having more than 12 frames of startup) and his below-average run speed, in addition to lacking guaranteed methods to set up into them. In the case of Wolf Flash, although he possesses true setups into the move, such as from his forward aerial or down throw at medium percents, they are very risky to pull off, as he can either end up offstage after its use and [[self-destruct]] (since it causes [[helpless]]ness), or miss the sweetspots and end up vulnerable due to its high landing lag. Like his ''Star Fox'' counterparts but to a greater extent, Wolf is highly susceptible to combos, due to his tall frame, high falling speed, and compared to them, his higher weight and lack of quick enough options to escape pressure, with his fastest aerial attacks coming out on frame 7. Most critically, however, his recovery is extremely exploitable. Wolf Flash and Fire Wolf are both linear and offer below-average distance compared to other recoveries, and unlike Fox and Falco, both of them cause helplessness, restricting him to one option offstage and leaving him with a much shorter recovery distance overall. This leaves Wolf highly vulnerable to [[gimp]]s and [[edgeguard]]ing, with meteor smashes in particular being deadly against him even at low percents, to the point exploiting his recovery offsets the increased horizontal endurance his higher weight would otherwise provide.

Overall, Wolf is a non-traditional glass cannon. He sacrifices the power of other glass cannons like {{SSBU|Mewtwo}} and {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}} for sheer versatility, due to his combination of an effective projectile for disrupting and forcing approaches, fast approach options of his own, and abundance of combo and KO moves, which allow him to keep up the pressure on his opponent even after winning the neutral game. As such, he is able to adapt to nearly any playstyle. However, due to his vulnerability to combos, poor recovery and trouble securing KOs, Wolf must also be well aware of his opponents, as a single mistake can cause him to sustain heavy damage from combos and end up in a position where he can easily be KO'd.

Wolf received some of the most noticeable changes of any returning [[veteran]], similarly to {{SSBU|Link}} and {{SSBU|Mr. Game & Watch}}. Aesthetically, most of his moveset has been reanimated to look more polished and further differentiated from {{SSBU|Fox}}. Mechanically, Wolf received a mix of buffs and nerfs in his transition from ''Brawl'', but has been buffed significantly overall.

Like most of the returning veterans, Wolf's [[initial dash]] is much faster, while his dash and [[air speed]] have been slightly increased. In addition to this, however, his [[fast falling]] speed is significantly faster, no longer providing the smallest falling speed increase out of the cast by a considerable margin, greatly enhancing his aerial approach and landing ability. Coupled with his superior mobility are the buffs to his {{b|Blaster|Wolf}}, already an effective projectile in his previous appearance, and his new [[dash attack]]; the former's blasts deal more damage and knockback, while the latter covers much more horizontal range and is stronger, both of which improve his [[neutral game]]. His aerial attacks have also seen improvements: his new [[neutral aerial]] gives Wolf a vastly more effective [[approach]] option, his [[forward aerial]] has become an excellent combo starter due to its reduced ending and landing lag, and his [[back aerial|back]] and [[up aerial]]s have had their knockback noticeably increased (most notably the former). Wolf's grab game also received some noteworthy buffs, now having a KO option in his [[back throw]], and useful combo starters in his [[up throw]] and [[down throw]]. Finally, [[Wolf Flash]] and [[Fire Wolf]] are far stronger, giving him two more powerful, albeit risky, KO options; the former in particular can now be aimed up or down, slightly improving his horizontal recovery and making the clean hit easier to land.

Wolf also heavily benefits from the changes to gameplay mechanics. The new [[air dodge]] mechanics, as well as the changes to [[hitstun canceling]], allow him to combo and juggle his opponents for a longer period of time, especially paired with his improved mobility; he has gained not only several more ways to start combos (such as with a landing up aerial, or a [[down aerial]] on grounded opponents), but also KO setups into his powerful Wolf Flash. The drastic weakening of [[momentum canceling]] allows his moves to KO earlier and overall put his survivability more in line with the cast. Lastly, the new ledge mechanics and the removal of [[chain grab]]bing and [[meteor cancel]]ing also significantly improve his survivability, while the latter change makes his down aerial and Wolf Flash more effective for KOing offstage.

However, Wolf has received a few significant nerfs as well. Some of his moves have received increased lag in all aspects, such as his [[forward smash]], [[down smash]], and his renowned back aerial from ''Brawl'', in exchange for more power; the latter two are particularly noteworthy due to their previous speed and already decent power. Because of this, he has a more difficult time scoring KOs as his finishers are much harder to land in general, forcing him to either time them precisely or lure the opponent into them; while he does possess KO setups into Wolf Flash offstage, they are extremely risky, as Wolf will [[self-destruct]] more often than not and the opponent can [[DI]] to avoid them. Additionally, several of his moves have reduced range to various degrees, most notably his new forward smash, which no longer travels a considerable distance forward, and his [[forward aerial]], which has lost its deceptively large [[disjoint]]. His already poor recovery has been made worse, as both Fire Wolf and Wolf Flash have decreased distance, making him more susceptible to [[edgeguarding]] than in ''Brawl''. His neutral and forward aerials, while possessing greater combo ability and safety, are now weaker, with the former also having slower startup, and the latter no longer being a reliable KO option. Finally, his new down throw is less effective for [[tech-chasing]] and setting up edgeguards because of its higher launch angle.

Despite ''Ultimate''{{'}}s new mechanics heavily benefiting Wolf, he has also seen a few nerfs from the changes to the mechanics, most notably the removal of [[DACUS]] which hinders his grounded approach. Lastly, his lower [[weight]] worsens his survivability, especially horizontally (which is also hindered by the changes to [[momentum canceling]]), while he remains an easy combo target due to his high falling speed and the changes to hitstun canceling.

Overall, Wolf's nerfs are offset by the new game mechanics and the buffs he has received, which has currently allowed him to fare better than he did in ''Brawl'' during ''Ultimate'''s early meta. So far, he has managed to achieve excellent representation and results thanks to {{Sm|Zackray}} winning multiple Japanese majors with the character, as well as numerous other top players such as {{Sm|MkLeo}} and {{Sm|Tweek}} placing favorably with him in tournaments. However, Wolf's results have become worse overtime as Zackray, who was his strongest player, dropped him in favor of {{SSBU|Joker}} while MkLeo has done the same. However, Tweek has continued to use him alongside {{SSBU|Wario}} and {{SSBU|Pokemon Trainer}}. As such, Wolf's viability has been questionable as players are debating on whether Wolf is as good as originally imagined. Regardless, he still has great results and is widely agreed to be significantly better than he was in ''Brawl''.

Wolf has received a mix of buffs and nerfs via game updates, but has been nerfed slightly overall. In update 3.0.0, the sweetspot of his down smash's front hit, infamous among the community for its extreme power (especially near edges), was weakened slightly. {{b|Blaster|Wolf}} was also affected by the near-universal nerf to projectiles' shield damage outputs, while an exploit that allowed Wolf to reduce [[Wolf Flash]]'s landing lag with a directional air dodge was removed. These nerfs were negligible, however, as Wolf retained his strengths and continued to perform very well in tournaments.

Following this, update 3.1.0 granted Wolf a few buffs and nerfs. Blaster's ending lag was increased, which slightly worsened its renowned utility as a safe [[neutral]] tool that could counter approaches with relatively low risk. Down smash's front sweetspot was weakened slightly once again, while [[Fire Wolf]]'s final hitbox was shrunken noticeably to compensate for its looping hits' improved consistency. Conversely, neutral attack's hits connect together more reliably, and {{b|Reflector|Wolf}} is overall faster by 1 frame. Most recently, update 7.0.0 enlarged Wolf's shield as part of a near-universal buff.

It is unknown how these changes will affect Wolf in the long run; while his nerfs are more impactful than his buffs, his sizeable playerbase and tournament success have both remained largely intact.

[[File:WolfDsmashKnockback.svg|thumb|right|350px|A comparison of the knockback dealt against Mario by Wolf's sweetspotted down smash, in each version which changed it.]]

|neutralname= 

|neutraldesc=A left-handed inward slash, followed by a right-handed inward slash, followed by a right-handed outward slash. Fairly quick, coming out on frame 4, and can [[jab lock]] opponents. However, the last hit has short range compared to other neutral attacks, which can cause it to fail to connect from the previous hits at high percents.

|ftiltname= 

|ftiltdesc=A lunging, two-handed outward slash. Overall considered one of Wolf's best moves because of its consistent ability to [[2 frame punish]] opponents, as well as its utility in neutral. The first hit produces a large amount of [[freeze frame]]s. Can KO at around 115%-140% near the edge of {{SSBU|Final Destination}} depending on the opponent's character, and even earlier if hit while [[2 frame punish|2 framing]].

|utiltname= 

|utiltdesc=A stretch kick. It has fast startup, and high power when hitting with the sweetspot at Wolf's foot, KOing middleweights under 130% from ground level. Especially useful to poke platforms with, as the sweetspot will sometimes KO earlier than both the second hit of up smash and up air. However, unlike most other up tilts, its ending lag prevents it from being used to start combos.

|dtiltname= 

|dtiltdesc=A crouching, low-level roundhouse kick. The move has rather decent range and quick speed, which make it a good poking and pressuring option, as well as a useful tool to deny approaches. Can be used to 2 frame punish the opponent but is generally overshadowed by forward tilt in that regard. It also has the chance to [[trip]] at low percents which can lead into a grab or other attacks. Is Wolf's weakest tilt attack.

|dashname= 

|dashdesc=A front kick. Has decent startup, but most importantly, it propels Wolf forward a considerable distance, and its clean hit deals respectable damage and knockback. This allows it to function as a reliable burst option to punish landings, whiffed moves, and follow up from other attacks. Hitting opponents close to Wolf launches them upward, allowing for aerial followups at low percents, whereas hitting them near his foot launches them horizontally. Depending on which hitbox is landed, the clean hit can KO under 150% from center stage, and under 120% near the edge. Can be reliably confirmed into from down throw at low percents.

|fsmashname= 

|fsmashdesc=Rears back then performs a palm thrust. While it has slow startup, hitting on frame 20, it has notoriously low ending lag (interruptible on frame 42), making it to be relatively safe on shield, and difficult to punish even if missed. It also has remarkable power, KOing middleweights at around 70% from the edge of the stage. As a result, it is one of Wolf's safest KO options on the ground.

|usmashname= 

|usmashdesc=A butterfly kick performed from a variation of the {{iw|Wikipedia|2000|b-boy move}} (a breakdancing move) followed by an upward scissor kick. It has the fastest startup of his smash attacks. The first hit offers surprisingly long horizontal range which makes it a versatile out-of-shield option (albeit a bit slow, coming out at frame 13). It deals high damage, hits at both sides and provides wide coverage above Wolf, making it useful to quickly punish opponents close to him and set up juggles. However, its power is slightly below-average for a smash attack, the full move not KOing middleweights until around 130% uncharged, and often not KOing heavyweights even around 140%.

|dsmashname= 

|dsmashdesc=A kneeling, one-handed slash in front of himself and then behind himself. Both hits have sweetspots at the tips of Wolf's claws, which launch at a lower, [[semi-spike]] angle with higher power. The move has moderate startup (hitting on frame 14 at the front), but has very little ending lag for a smash attack (interruptible on frame 44), making it safe on shield if spaced. The move can reliably [[2 frame punish]] opponents, and the sweetspots are extremely powerful, with the front hit's sweetspot being among the strongest down smashes in the game, both KOing them near edges at around 60% and 70%, respectively. As a result, it is Wolf's most dangerous [[edgeguard]] tool, as well as a reliable finisher when reading an opponent's tech options out of forward throw or neutral aerial. Considered to be one of the best down smashes in the game.  

|nairname= 

|nairdesc=A flying kick. Wolf's overall most useful and versatile aerial. Compared to other [[sex kick]] neutral aerials, it has slower startup (hitting on frame 7), but deals higher damage and knockback with its clean hit. It is one of Wolf's fastest aerials, tied with his forward and up aerials. Compared to them, it hits lower, has a longer duration, and covers a consistent area. Combined with its low landing lag (9 frames), this makes it very useful for air-to-ground transitioning, as well as starting combos at a variety of percents, with the clean hit being more effective at low percents and the late hit being more effective at high percents. The clean hit is also a decent finisher near the edge, KOing at around 145%.

|fairname= 

|fairdesc=A downward arcing slash. It is a staple of Wolf's neutral game, with its fast startup (tied with neutral and up aerial), wide vertical arc, and low landing lag (10 frames) making it a safe approach option, and combined with its 60° launch angle, allowing it to combo into a multitude of moves, such as jab, any tilt, or grab at low percents, any aerial attack from low to mid percents (including itself to extend combos), and even Wolf Flash as a KO setup at high percents. However, it has poor edgeguarding ability due to its more vertical angle and deals the least damage and knockback out of Wolf's aerials, exacerbated further by [[stale-move negation]] due to its frequent use in his neutral game.

|bairname= 

|bairdesc=A back kick. It has noticeable startup (hitting on frame 13), ending lag, and landing lag (15 frames), making it Wolf's second-slowest aerial (behind down aerial). To compensate, its [[autocancel]] frames come out very quickly after the hitboxes (on frame 18), effectively giving it little to no ending lag with proper timing, allowing it to poke shields and bait opponents. It is also one of Wolf's main KO moves: it deals high damage and significant knockback if sweetspotted, KOing at around 110% from center stage and as early as 65% near the edge. The sourspot is much weaker but is still a reliable KO move near the edge.

|uairname= 

|uairdesc=An overhead arcing slash, starting from the front. Its fast startup, wide arc, low landing lag (10 frames) and vertical knockback allow it to juggle opponents very effectively. It can also set up combos into itself and other attacks from low to mid percents, though not as reliably as forward aerial. Additionally, it possesses enough knockback to KO starting from around 120%-130% near the top blast line.

|dairname= 

|dairdesc=A two-handed downward slash below himself. It has the most startup (hitting on frame 16), ending lag, and landing lag (19 frames) out of Wolf's aerials, making it particularly risky to use offstage due to Wolf's poor recovery. However, it meteor smashes opponents consistently throughout the move, instead of requiring to land a specific part of it like most other meteor smashing down aerials. This essentially turns it into a high-risk, high-reward edgeguarding option. Against grounded opponents, it can combo into a variety of attacks even up to high percents.

|grabname= 

|grabdesc=Reaches out with his right arm.

|pummelname= 

|pummeldesc=A knee strike.

|fthrowname= 

|fthrowdesc=An inward slash. While it deals decent damage, it is extremely weak, not KOing opponents under 300% even at the edge, and its ending lag is too high for reliable followups. However, the low angle makes it an extremely potent tech-chasing move at higher percentages.

|bthrowname= 

|uthrowname= 

|dthrowname= 

|dthrowdesc=A spinning {{s|wikipedia|chokeslam}}. It launches opponents horizontally with low ending lag, allowing it to combo into a dash attack until around 15%-20%, or potentially set up [[tech-chase]]s if the opponent does not [[DI]] enough to act out of hitstun before hitting the ground. At around the 60%-100% percent range, it can also combo into Wolf Flash depending on character and DI (most notably works on floaties), though doing this close to an edge will cause Wolf to self-destruct in the process, making it a high-risk, high-reward combo.

|nsdesc=Shoots a purple, arrowhead-shaped energy blast from his {{s|lylatwiki|Blaster}}. It is reliable at both disrupting and forcing approaches, thanks to its decent lag and the energy blast's moderately large size and [[transcendent priority]]. Unlike most projectiles, it also has great utility in close-quarters combat, thanks to the Blaster's bayonet possessing its own hitbox. As a result, the bayonet is capable of inflicting damage alongside the energy blast. Altogether, these traits make it the centerpiece of Wolf's neutral game, and it is widely considered to be one of the best projectiles in the game.

|fsdesc=Upon activation, Wolf shouts "Wolf Pack!" as a large red reticle appears in front of him that launches opponents and is immediately followed by a {{s|lylatwiki|Wolfen}} flying from behind the screen where the reticle is located. Upon hitting an opponent, Wolf leaps upward to board his Wolfen and a cutscene begins with him joining the rest of {{s|lylatwiki|Star Wolf}}. Wolf himself then says, "Grahaha! The hunt is on, boys!" (or "I've got you now, Star Fox!" if he hits {{SSBU|Fox}} or {{SSBU|Falco}}), as he and rest of Star Wolf fire their Wolfens' laser cannons at the trapped opponents. It deals a considerable amount of damage and launches the opponent horizontally after the cutscene ends.

*'''Down taunt''': Kneels down, slaps the ground with one hand and makes a howling-esque noise.

SSBUWolfIdle1.gif|Wolf's first idle pose

SSBUWolfIdle2.gif|Wolf's second idle pose

|{{NTSC}} [[File:Wolf Cheer English NTSC SSBU.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:Wolf Cheer English PAL SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Wolf Cheer Japanese SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Wolf Cheer Italian SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Wolf Cheer Dutch SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Wolf Cheer French SSBU.ogg|center]]

|[[File:Wolf Cheer German SSBU.ogg|center]]||{{NTSC}} [[File:Wolf Cheer Spanish NTSC SSBU.ogg|center]] <br> {{PAL}} [[File:Wolf Cheer Spanish PAL SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Wolf Cheer Russian SSBU.ogg|center]]||[[File:Wolf Cheer Korean SSBU.ogg|center]]

*'''Right:''' While facing away from the camera, Wolf raises his right arm. He then turns quickly toward the camera, gesturing towards the screen with his claws. During the entirety of the pose, he scoffs and says "Weaklings! The lot of you." ({{ja|弱者どもめ。|Jakusha domo me.}}, ''Such weak ones.'')

[[File:StarFoxUniverseTheme.ogg|thumb|This victory theme is based upon the main theme of ''{{s|lylatwiki|Star Fox 64}}'', most specifically the title theme. It is also reminiscent of the music that would play when a mission was completed or accomplished.]]

==In competitive play==

Initial opinions of Wolf were mixed before the release of ''Ultimate'', with players noting the loss of his renowned back aerial and powerful [[DACUS]], reduced invincibility from {{b|Reflector|Wolf}}, and [[Wolf Flash]] still causing helplessness, which was a big detriment compared to {{SSBU|Fox}} and {{SSBU|Falco}}'s respective side specials. However, players began to realize the effectiveness of Wolf's buffs past the game's release, as it gave him a powerful projectile courtesy of his Blaster, effective combos due to his modified physics, and a notorious [[edgeguard]]ing tool in down smash, which kept its high power despite being nerfed twice through game updates. This caused Wolf to gain a renowned, controllable [[neutral game]], allowing him to dictate the flow of battle through use of his Blaster, overall speed, and combo ability.

 

As a result, Wolf has consistently been a very popular pick in competitive play since ''Ultimate'''s early lifespan; he has been the most used character in many competitive events, including {{Trn|Pound 2019}}<ref>[https://web.e-gsol.in/2019/04/22/the-wolf-pack-came-out-in-full-force-for-super-smash-bros-ultimate-during-pound-2019-here-are-the-top-128-character-usage-stats-eventhubs/]</ref>, {{Trn|EVO 2019}}, <ref>[https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2019/aug/04/super-smash-bros-ultimate-usage-stats-evo-2019/]</ref> and {{Trn|Valhalla III}}<ref>[https://www.eventhubs.com/news/2020/jan/12/wolf-chrom-and-peach-were-frequent-picks-valhalla-3s-super-smash-bros-ultimate-event-while-fox-and-falco-were-picks-melee/]</ref>. In addition, many professional players have attained strong results with the character, and players in general have agreed that Wolf is potentially one of the best characters in the game. However, Wolf's weaknesses have become more exploitable as the meta evolved, with his strongest mains either dropping him ({{Sm|Zackray}}) or moving to other characters ({{Sm|MkLeo}}). This has put his current standing in the meta in question, although it is agreed that the character is a top-tier with some such as {{Sm|Ned}} believing he is top 5 while {{Sm|Cloudy}} and {{Sm|Tweek}} believing he is top 3 and a contender for the best alongside {{SSBU|Joker}} and {{SSBU|Pikachu}}.

 

''Numbers in parentheses denote a smasher's placement on the [[Fall 2019 PGRU]], which recognizes the top 50 players in the world in [[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]] from July 13th, 2019 to December 15th, 2019.''

''See also: [[:Category:Wolf professionals (SSBU)]]''

*{{Sm|Atelier|Japan}} - One of the best Wolf players in the world but has since been using more {{SSBU|Pokémon Trainer}} in tournament. Place 1st at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 3}}, 2nd at {{Trn|Maesuma TOP 2}}, 7th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 2}}, and 17th at {{Trn|EVO Japan 2020}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Abadango}}, {{Sm|Nietono}}, and {{Sm|Kome}}. Currently ranked 28th on the [[Japan Player Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Charliedaking|USA}} - One of the best Wolf players in the United States. Placed 4th at {{Trn|Super Smashed Fest}}, 9th at both {{Trn|GENESIS 7}} and {{Trn|Ultimate Nimbus}}, 17th at {{Trn|2GG: SwitchFest 2019}}, and 25th at both {{Trn|The Big House 9}} and {{Trn|Frostbite 2020}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Elegant}}, {{Sm|Pandarian}}, and {{Sm|ScAtt}}. Currently ranked 1st on the [[SoCal Power Rankings#Super Smash Bros. Ultimate rankings|SoCal Ultimate Power Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Greil|France}} - One of the best Wolf players in Europe. Placed 4th at {{Trn|Syndicate 2019}}, 7th at {{Trn|BURST 4}}, 9th at {{Trn|DreamHack Winter 2019}}, and 17th at {{Trn|Ultimate WANTED 2}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Flow|p=France}}, {{Sm|Oryon}}, and {{Sm|Homika}}. Currently ranked 24th on the [[European Smash Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Keen|Chile}} - The best Wolf player in South America. Placed 4th at both {{Trn|Smash Chile - Civil War}} and {{Trn|Iwanna Torneo Nacional!}} as well as 25th at {{Trn|Smash Factor 8}} with wins over {{Sm|Javi}}, {{Sm|Chag}}, and {{Sm|Frido}}. Currently ranked 5th on the [[Chilean Power Rankings]]. Online, placed 4th at {{Trn|SWT: South America Ultimate Online Qualifier}} and 7th at {{Trn|White Phoenix}}.

*{{Sm|Larry Lurr|USA}} - One of the best Wolf players in the world. Placed 1st at {{Trn|DreamHack Anaheim 2020}}, 7th at {{Trn|The Kid, the Goat, and the Mang0}}, 9th at {{Trn|Thunder Smash 3: Clash of the Pandas}}, 17th at {{Trn|2GG: Prime Saga}}, and 25th at {{Trn|Mainstage}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Marss}}, {{Sm|Nairo}}, and {{Sm|Cosmos}}.

*{{Sm|Masha|Japan}} - The best Wolf players in Japan. Placed 3rd at {{Trn|Karisuma SP 5}}, 4th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 5}}, 5th at {{Trn|Karisuma SP 6}}, and 13th at {{Trn|Sumabato SP 7}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Abadango}}, {{Sm|T}}, and {{Sm|Shogun}}. Currently ranked 40th on the [[Japan Player Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Oryon|France}} - The best Wolf player in Europe. Placed 4th at {{Trn|Stunfest 2019}}, 5th at {{Trn|Syndicate 2019}}, 7th at {{Trn|VCA 2019}}, and 9th at {{Trn|Albion 4}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Glutonny}}, {{Sm|Abadango}}, and {{Sm|Prodigy}}. Currently ranked 7th on the [[European Smash Rankings]].

*{{Sm|Ouch!?|Canada}} - Placed 4th at {{Trn|VORTEX}} and {{Trn|Play With Heart}}, 13th at {{Trn|Port Priority 5}}, and 33rd at {{Trn|Get On My Level 2019}} with wins over players such as {{Sm|Big D}}, {{Sm|Lemmon}}, and {{Sm|Dark Wizzy}}. Currently ranked 16th on the [[Smash Canada Rankings Ultimate]].

*{{Sm|Tweek|USA}} (#3) - Formerly considered the best Wolf player in the world but has since largely dropped the character. Placed 1st at both {{Trn|Frostbite 2019}} and {{Trn|Glitch 8 - Missingno}}, 2nd at {{Trn|2GG: Kongo Saga}}, 5th at {{Trn|The Big House 9}}, and 9th at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}.

*{{Sm|Zackray|Japan}} (#7) - Formerly considered the best Wolf player in the world but has since dropped the character. Placed 1st at both {{Trn|Umebura SP 2}} and {{Trn|The Big House 9}}, 2nd at {{Trn|Umebura SP 5}}, 5th at {{Trn|GENESIS 6}}, and 7th at {{Trn|EVO 2019}}.

Wolf's opponents, like himself, are characters who are once again playable after being absent from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', or in the case of [[Pichu]] and [[Young Link]], absent from both ''SSB4'' and ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. The [[boss]] of the route, [[Galleom]], also fits with this theme because of his absence from ''SSB4''.

Although Wolf does not appear in the World of Light opening cutscene, he was vaporized and later imprisoned alongside the rest of the fighters (except for {{SSBU|Kirby}}) when Galeem unleashed his beams of light.

{{-}}

Wolf's fighter spirit can be obtained by completing [[Classic Mode]]. It is also available periodically for purchase in the shop for 500 coins. Unlocking Wolf in World of Light allows the player to preview the first spirit below in the Spirit List under the name "???". As a fighter spirit, it cannot be used in Spirit Battles and is purely aesthetic. Each fighter spirit has an alternate version that replaces them with their artwork in ''Ultimate''.

|[https://snk.fandom.com/wiki/Orochi_Iori Orochi Iori] (default costume)

===Character Showcase Video===

*Early gameplay footage of Wolf in ''Ultimate'' contains a few inconsistencies between his official render and his in-game model. The soles of his boots are blue in his official render while they were red in his in-game model, the straps behind his right shin guard were white instead of black, and his jacket and gloves were a dark purple color instead of light purple. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62uBiZfw9w0&t=0m13s]</ref> <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B4w2Tsy9PE&t=0m4s]</ref>

**They are also present in {{SSBU|Fox}}'s, {{SSBU|Mewtwo}}'s, and {{SSBU|Corrin}}'s character showcase videos.

**Additionally, the inconsistencies are used for his model in the first five screenshots of his character page on the ''Smash Bros. Ultimate'' official website.

*Wolf is the only returning ''Brawl'' veteran who does not have palette swap of his design from that game in ''Ultimate''.

*There's been a change in Wolf's in-game model that's not present on either his official artwork or amiibo. Additional straps were added on his shin guards that match the color of the bands on his gloves.

*Wolf is the only playable ''Star Fox'' character whose voice actor from ''Brawl'' reprises his role in ''Ultimate'', while Fox and Falco's voice actors were changed from ''Brawl'' to ''Smash 4'', which is retained in ''Ultimate''.

*Wolf uses his left hand for his forward smash, but uses his right hand to fire his blaster. This shows that Wolf has some kind of cross-dominance.

*There's currently an animation error with Wolf's forward teching animation, his left foot will be twisted the other way when rolling.

*Wolf, {{SSBU|Marth}}, {{SSBU|Lucina}}, {{SSBU|Young Link}}, {{SSBU|Roy}}, and {{SSBU|Chrom}} are the only characters that uses their crouching animation from their previous ''Smash Bros.'' game when holding a small item (in Chrom's case, he uses Roy's previous crouching animation).

*If Fox is present in the match, the lasers fired from Wolf's Blaster generates a black smoke effect when hitting an opponent, an item or wall, much like the lasers fired from Fox's Blaster.

*Wolf's [https://www.nintendo.com/amiibo/detail/wolf-amiibo-super-smash-bros-series/ description] from the North American [[amiibo]] website is based on his trophy description from ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

*Interestingly, Wolf's up taunt finishes faster when facing left if uninterrupted. A similar situation occurs with both {{SSBU|Hero}} (down taunt) and {{SSBU|Kazuya}} (up taunt).

*While Wolf's design in ''Ultimate'' was based on his appearance in ''Star Fox Zero'', his outfit is almost entirely original. That's most likely because the only time he was ever visible was in his in-game head shot when he's speaking, in which only his head and part of his outfit can be seen.